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Following Tracy Thelen's journey exploring the limits, pushing the boundaries and testing her endurance. It's about seeking out new adventures on the trail and reaching into the unknown, not just stopping at edge!

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Two down, two to go.

Hill climb TTs that is! The Wednesday before Sage was the first 26th St time trial. Both Nick and I are racing the series, me on my road bike, Nick on his mountain bike. I was hoping to break 20:00 for the race, but also had to balance the bigger goal over the weekend. A good, solid effort but with an eye on the Garmin found me at the top in 20:12 - my fastest time yet, but slower then I'd hoped. No time to hang out at the top - we bolted for home and loaded up the camper to head to Gunnison.

The first race up Cheyenne Canyon was of course the wednesday after Sage. Nothing like trying to climb the canyon on tired legs! There is no soft pedaling or going easy in Cheyenne Canyon. That race was gonna hurt. As I left the line at 5:08, I felt like the poor dead squirrel in the middle of the road. Flat. Very flat. I felt better as the minutes ticked by, but Nick caught me quickly. When the next rider caught me, I was able to keep pace on the steepest sections. But man, I was tired. As I reached Helen Hunt, I realized that despite my fatigue, I had a chance of getting a new best time. So I dug a little deeper and pushed to the line. Close - 22:44, only 11 seconds off my PR for the canyon.

Two more races left - another crack at 26th St next week and another suffer fest up the Canyon. Should be good times!

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2014 12 Hours in the Sage

After focusing on marathons for many years (including a near miss at the 2004 Olympic Trials qualifying time and finishing up 50 and DC) I branched out into triathlons. Ended up deciding I liked playing in the dirt more then dealing with cars. After a few years as a committed member of the Xterra tribe, I realized I liked going long and riding my bike more. I also got to spend more time exploring when I was on my bike! The challenge of Duo 24 hour racing and ultra endurance mountain biking fit in perfectly with the lifestyle Nick and I want. We ride our bikes because we love to and the ability to race is a bonus! With that said, the emphaisis is on the adventures, not the data of riding.